At Marone Industries in Ridges office, Eric catches Brooke in a clinch with Ridge and demands that he let her go. She offers that she just felt a little faint (yeah, that works every time). From all the stress, she says she just needed to catch her breath. Ridge repeats what his father just said, get your hands off my wife! Do you want to explain that? Eric asks if he has to explain himself? First, he finds out they are going into business together, and now he finds them in each others arms! Brooke speaks up. She doesnt know what Stephanie told him, but she assures him she is NOT involved with Ridge. He throws it back in her face that no, she cant be in love with Ridge because shes in love with Nick!

In Bridgets bedroom at the beach house, Nick is still stretched out on the bed talking to the baby bump. Bridget questions if he just said he is going to cut the umbilical cord with what, like a fishing knife? So cutely, he says he would wash it first. And she continues with no drugs, no doctors. He maintains that she is almost a doctor. And she adds that having a water birth doesnt mean delivering it at sea, but literally in water. Again he grins and says, okay, they will just put a life jacket on her and dump her over the side. She chuckles and adds, we are having this baby in a hospital, with a doctor and any other interventions I may need. Hes quick, he picks up on the we and calls her attention to it. Does that mean hes included too, because she did say we. He apologizes and tells her he knows hes been irritating. He apologizes to the belly bump too. She concedes hes being a little funny. He confesses she needs a little funny in her life; shes always so serious. She wants to know whos fault is that? He jokes okay, he likes serious. Its sorta the ying and yang thing, right? They compliment each other; theyre good for each other. He tells her that is one of the reasons he fell in love with her in the first place.

In Stephanies office at Forrester, she pours herself a cup of coffee. Thorne tells her that Forrester is a new company, and hes a new man. The staff, all the familiar faces; they are glad to have him back; hes glad to be back. She smiles in approval. He thanks her; her faith means the world to him. She thanks him and says she knows he will never let her down. He says he knows in a perfect world, shed like to have both his sons working there. She retorts that in a perfect world, shed like all four children working there. Thorne asks if Ridge is still refusing to come onboard? She says worse than that. He wants to try and get the company back. Thorne dismisses that as the lawyers told him he couldnt get it back for his father. She sets him straight; not for Eric, but for himself! That Ridge had told her if she didnt give him control of THIS company, he and Brooke would start up their own company and go up against them. Of course she said no, and then she sent her secret weapon down to Ridges office to make sure they couldnt do anything about it.

Brooke asks Eric where is all of this coming from? Stephanie? Has she got him all fired up? He informs them that Steph said they were in her office FLAUNTING themselves in front of her. Ridge wheedles out by saying well, they sort of. Eric reminds him that Brooke is HIS wife. Ridge may know that, but he doesnt respect it; that much is clear (he looks at Brooke). But, what he didnt realize is he had so little respect for Eric. He flames that Ridge couldnt have any respect for him and do what hes done  threatening to start a company on his own if Stephanie doesnt give him Forrester Creations. Doing an end run around your father your husband. I want to know exactly what is going on here, he barks.

Bridget repeats what Nick said  they are good together. She crawls out of bed and tells him so much has happened. And he says he learned from all of it. She says she thought he had too, but she married him anyway. (ouch). He grabs his stomach (while still crouching on the bed) and feigns stomach pains and says he deserved that. And she deserves better. He agrees. He says hes been telling her that all along. What did he tell her the first time they kissed? She thinks  that she deserved better. First proposal? Second, or third .he might have even put it in the vows. His point, she wonders? His point is he has been telling her this all along, so why the Hell does he think shed listen to him now? She replies because that might have been the most honest thing you said in our entire relationship. He suddenly gets serious and says he is so sorry that he hurt her. Its a privilege to be in her world, and he wants that back and he knows how hard its going to be to re-build her trust. He whispers he wants to be there for her. Hell do whatever it takes. She asks  to prove it to her? He replies yes. She ponders. What has he already proven to her .that he is completely thoughtless, totally unreliable (his eyes get bigger) and the worlds biggest fool. His eyes pop out more and he asks is she finished? Take her time if there is more. She tells him theyve been through this before. He replies, no, YOU have been through it. I havent. I am ready to go through it for YOU. Go through what, she asks? He says anything, hell swim to Catalina. Hell swallow an entire anchor. Huh? Yeah, theyd have to chop it in little pieces; its kind of hard to swallow a whole anchor. She tells him he should go. But, he just got here, he replies. She says she is a little tired. And he admits he can be a little overwhelming. He has that affect on people (and here I was thinking she was buying into all of this). She tells him yes, he does. He whispers that hell go; she should get some rest. He inches closer and puts a few fingers on the belly bump and says its been nice talking to it, whatever its name is going to be. He slips that hand to her arm and starts to walk away, but turns to say he loves her while then stroking some of her hair. Her heart is divided; her face says it all, part of her wants him to stay.

Thorne is amazed; so Ridge would rather start up his own company than work with them? Steph reminds him it would be with Brooke. He tells her he made his share of mistakes when he and Brooke were involved. Steph says but he survived them and she is not so sure she can say that about his father and Ridge.

Brooke tells Eric that he has got this all wrong. And Ridge adds he may not agree with his marriage, but he would never betray him. Eric utters, Destiny Designs. She says its just a name. Eric says he knows what it means. Ridge tries to explain they were trying to force Mothers hands because shed do anything to keep them apart. Brooke says they were bluffing. And Eric surmises then they were never going through with this. Ridge says no, not then, hes not sure now. She says they were not deliberately trying to keep him in the dark. Ridge comes clean  what he really wants is to run FC. Ive dedicated most of my life to this company. I deserve to run it. And if he cant, hed start his own company, which hed hoped they both be involved with. He has to apologize. He always wanted his dad onboard. And he should have come to him before he went to Mother, but Eric really didnt think he could stab him in the back? Eric shakes his head and says he doesnt know what to believe anymore. If Ridge wants to get back at Stephanie, go to it, and he wishes him luck, but just leave his wife out of it. He motions to her for them to go home. She looks at Ridge and then leaves.

At the beach house, Dante pops into Bridgets room. He thought she was supposed to be sleeping. Hed just taken a walk on the beach and was checking up on her. He asks if she wants her window closed and she says no, she likes the breeze. He tells her Nick had come by earlier. She replies that she knew. He guesses she heard them arguing since Nick had told him to move out. She argues he was just trying to be protective. Dante states that hes the one she needs to be protected from. They are on the verge of something here; dont let him mess it up. He takes her by the hands and tells her focus on the future; their future  together!

In Ridges office, hes popping a pill as Stephanie walks in. He asks if she came to admire her handiwork? She asks does he have a headache? He retorts that it just got worse. She asks what happened? Cutely, she asks if his father walked in on something?; she tried to warn him. Ridge states that hes worked up into a paranoid frenzy. She reminds him they are the ones trying to take his company away. He reminds her that she is the one who took the company away, and now filling his head with all this STUFF. Stephanie offers that she thought it was important to tell him they were making plans that didnt include him. Ridge accuses her of only making Eric another pawn in this twisted game of revenge. She says it was he and Brooke that threatened her. He says he was just using language she seemed to be used to. Hell say it again. Listen carefully. Nothing has changed, they are still going to start their own company together.

She proclaims she doesnt think Eric is going to let that happen. Ridge claims Eric doesnt make Brookes decisions. And Steph says he isnt going to make any at Forrester as long as Ridge is involved with her. Cant he see that? She is setting him against Stephanie, his wife, his brother, even his own father! When is he going to understand what this woman is really all about?

At home, Eric throws his keys down on the table in the foyer and states that he cant believe he hadnt seen this. She says there was nothing to see; it was a bluff. He laments he thought they were in this together; like a partnership. She says they are, and she knows that she and Ridge should have talked to him before they went to Stephanie. He grumbles that he knew it wasnt going to happen overnight, but he thought if they could communicate and be open with each other ..She apologizes and is blathering on about Thorne and Stephanie and he tells her its not about the business, but about their marriage .if you can call it that. She explains again that nothing happened between her and Ridge. He offers he might find some consolation in that IF something was happening between the two of them, but it wasnt. She says she knows hes frustrated. He agrees that he is. She asked him to give her time and he has, but ..and now this with Ridge. How is he supposed to feel about that? Before walking away, he tells her hes not sure he can do this anymore.

Bridget thanks Dante when he says he will be there for her; now go to sleep. He tucks her in and asks if there is anything else he can do for her? She thanks him, but says no. He gently kisses her on the forehead and tells her to sleep tight, Bella, sleep tight.

Stephanie begs Ridge to reconsider the consequences of this decision. He denounces her and her band of misfits at FC. She corrects him  for him and his family. He stands firm. If she doesnt want him going into business with Brooke, she knows what she has to do. She asks what will this do to his wife and children. No good can come of this. He slams and no good will come of her worrying about his marriage. Just stop it. Shes just angry because Brooke married his dad. She sloughs that off; his dad is a lost cause as far as she is concerned. For some insane reason, she opines, which she will never understand, he believes Brooke. He just refuses to see that she is going to hurt him all over again. That marriage wasnt going anywhere. He is never going to get from Brooke what he really wants.

Eric is standing before an open fire in the fireplace, leaning on the mantle. Brooke follows him there and apologizes and says she knows this marriage is letting him down. Thoughtfully, he tells her what he wants to do. He goes to her and puts his hands on her shoulders. Just forget about the company right now. Let the lawyers duke it out. He wants to focus on her. Just let them concentrate on each other; enjoy one another. They could do something together; take a cruise. Go on a charter yacht; cruise the Mediterranean or the whole world if she wants. She mentions the kids as an excuse. He remarks they can get a tutor for Hope, for Gods sake .or they can come with them. She looks him in the eyes and says she doesnt know if this is a really good time. Hes getting another message and offers that she wants no part of it, does she? Why is that? Cant she bear to be away from Nick and Ridge? She reminds him that their daughter is having a baby. Thats a little far-fetched; she cant go on vacation because Bridget is having a baby? She reminds him Bridget is the reason they married in the first place. He states, maybe that was a bad idea. Maybe I shouldnt be encouraging her to stay with Nick. Maybe Im just cursing her to a lifetime of unhappiness and misery. She states that he knows she would never do anything to her daughters family or future. Then, he barks, what is keeping them apart? She replies sex. Its all about sex. And he whispers  intimacy, connection. Theyre living under one roof, but more like roommates, and thats not what he wanted. Shed asked him to be patient, and he had been, but he thinks hes reached his limit.

Theres a loooooooong pause and she walks to his turned back and puts her hand on his shoulder and says he is right. He has been very patient and very kind, and if this what he needs, then lets do it. With an anguished look on his face, she slowly turns him around and starts kissing him, seducing him until he pulls away and tells her no, no, no. She tells him she knows this is what he wants. And she tries to kiss him again, but he stops her. No, I want you to love me.